Dave O'Brien (sportscaster)

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Dave O'Brien
NESN
ESPN Inc.

David O'Brien (born August 3, 1963), nicknamed "OB", is an American

Florida Marlins, and New York Mets
, and has announced other sports including basketball, football, and soccer.

Early years

Born in Quincy, Massachusetts, O'Brien grew up in Marshfield, Massachusetts, and later New Hampshire before receiving a degree in broadcasting from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in 1986.[1]

Broadcasting career

From 1987 to 1992, O'Brien worked as a sportscaster in

Florida Marlins from the team's 1993 inaugural year through 2001, including their first World Series win in 1997. He has also occasionally called National Football League games for the Atlanta Falcons
.

O'Brien recorded play-by-play "commentary" for the

WPIX-TV
from 2003 through 2005.

ESPN

O'Brien worked for

soccer (including Major League Soccer's MLS Primetime Thursday and United States men's national soccer team telecasts). Prior to the 2005 season, O'Brien was denied permission by ESPN to join the Chicago Cubs' broadcast team.[3] In 2019, O'Brien returned to call college football games for the inaugural season of the ESPN Inc.-owned ACC Network, partnering with fellow New England native Tim Hasselbeck.[4]

FIFA World Cup

O'Brien joined

ABC Sports, despite having no experience calling soccer matches prior to that year. Because The Walt Disney Company, owner of both television outlets, retained control over on-air talent, the appointment of O'Brien as the main play-by-play voice was made over the objections of Soccer United Marketing, who wanted JP Dellacamera to continue in that role. Disney stated that their broadcast strategy was intended, in voice and style, to target the vast majority of Americans who do not follow the sport on a regular basis. Mispronunciation and incorrect addressing of names, misuse of soccer terminology, and lack of insight into tactics and history plagued the telecasts, resulting in heavy criticism from English-speaking soccer fans, with some either muting commentary or watching the tournament in Spanish on Univision instead.[5][6]

Boston Red Sox

In 2007, O'Brien joined the Boston Red Sox Radio Network, calling games alongside primary play-by-play announcer Joe Castiglione. In 2011, O'Brien became the primary play-by-play announcer with Castiglione becoming the secondary announcer. On August 25, 2015, it was announced that O'Brien would be the primary play-by-play announcer for Red Sox telecasts on NESN beginning in 2016, replacing Don Orsillo.[7][8]

Notable broadcasts

O'Brien won the Achievements in Radio (A.I.R.) award for Best Play-by-Play for his call of Mark McGwire's 59th home run in 1998.[9]

O'Brien called a triple-overtime college basketball game between Oklahoma State and Texas on January 16, 2007. He called the game—which Oklahoma State won, 105–103—on ESPN2 alongside Rick Majerus.

August 4, 2007 – O'Brien called play-by-play for ESPN's August 4 broadcast of the game between the

championship game
. O'Brien's call of the last shot:

Dillingham across midcourt, Dillingham with it. 5 to get off a shot. William on the drive, pull up pull up! GOT IT! SHE GOT IT! SHE GOT IT! ONE OF THE GREAT UPSETS IN HISTORY! MISSISSIPPI STATE IN OVERTIME AT THE BUZZER! MORGAN WILLIAM! MISSISSIPPI STATE HAS ENDED THE STREAK AT 111 GAMES! IT'S OVER!

Personal life

O'Brien has been married to his high school sweetheart, Debbie Nason O'Brien, for over 25 years. The couple have a son, Michael, and two daughters, Samantha and Katie. They lived in West Palm Beach, Florida, before moving to Salem, New Hampshire.[10]

References

  1. ^ Boccacino, John (January 26, 2017). "Sportscaster Dave O'Brien '86 Treasures Chance to Live His Dream". SU News. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  2. ^ Todd, Brett (March 17, 2003). "High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 Review". GameSpot.
  3. Daily Herald. Arlington Heights, Illinois. Archived from the original on November 29, 2004 – via Wayback Machine
    .
  4. ^ "ACC Network announces personnel lineup for games, studio shows". Awful Announcing. 2019-07-17. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  5. ^ Fatsis, Stefan (July 5, 2006). "Fans Say ESPN's World Cup Coverage Deserves Penalty". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  6. ^ Paulsen (December 19, 2009). "Decade in Review: 10 worst personnel moves". Sports Media Watch. #5: Dave O'Brien calls the World Cup (2006, ESPN)
  7. ^ Finn, Chad (August 25, 2015). "Don Orsillo will not return on Red Sox telecasts next season". The Boston Globe.
  8. ^ "Dave O'Brien Named NESN's Red Sox Play-By-Play Voice For 2016 Season". NESN.com. August 25, 2015.
  9. ^ ESPN MediaZone – A Resource for Media Professionals
  10. ^ Leech, Adam (April 30, 2008). "Rye man is voice of Red Sox". seacoastonline.com. Retrieved July 20, 2018.

Further reading

External links

Media offices
Preceded by MLS Cup play-by-play announcer
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
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